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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · suit · field · mouse · bore · rash · hide · band

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. suit — clothes
  4. field — farmland
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. field — a subject
  8. bore — to drill
  9. field — for sport
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rash — hasty
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a ring
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rash — a series
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — to tire
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com